The Baltimore Ravens is an NFL team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The team plays in the AFC North division and its home arena is the M&T Bank Stadium. The club was established in 1996 after the franchise relocated from Cleveland to Baltimore.
As part of the relocation deal, the Cleveland Browns’ record and history had to remain in Cleveland, allowing for a replacement team to take up the mantle.
Since its formation, the Baltimore Ravens has had a lot of success, having reached the play-offs about a dozen times since the turn of the century, as well as claiming two Super Bowls.
The Ravens have also won two AFC Championships out of four appearances in the final. It is also the only team that has a perfect record of wins in Super Bowl appearances.
History of the Baltimore Ravens
The team name is taken from the poem ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allan Poe, who is buried in the city. Previously, Baltimore was home to the Baltimore Colts, which controversially transferred its operations to Indianapolis.
When the league expanded in 1995, the Baltimore Ravens (then called the Baltimore Bombers) were seen as a favourite to gain entry. However, Charlotte, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida, were admitted instead.
There were subsequent attempts to bring football back to the city but to no avail, until 1996. In the team's first NFL Draft in 1996, they selected two Hall of Fame players in Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden. In their first season in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens had a 4-12 record.
During the history of the club, there have been just three different head coaches.
First Super Bowl
The team reached the playoffs for the first time in 2000 after Brian Billick had taken over as head coach from Ted Marchibroda and after defeating the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship game.
They played the New York Giants, winning the Super Bowl with a 34-7 victory, and seeing Ray Lewis named as Defensive Player of the Year. The team changed ownership a few years later and for a while did not make much headway in terms of post-season football.
It was in 2012 that they managed to claim their second AFC Championship, this time under the leadership of new head coach John Harbaugh and with quarterback Joe Flacco in the side. The team overcame a halftime deficit to beat the Patriots and get to the Super Bowl for the second time.
Playing the San Francisco 49ers, the Ravens had built a heavy lead when a power outage at the stadium led to the game being paused for 34 minutes.
Despite a comeback attempt, the Ravens went on to close out the victory.
Since then, there have been steady performances the Ravens have missed out on getting back to the Super Bowl.
Under quarterback Lamar Jackson, they had a franchise-record 14-2 finish in the regular season, but they lost out to the Tennessee Times in the Divisional Round.
Home Stadium and Support
The Ravens play their home games at the M&T Bank Stadium situated close to the Baltimore Orioles’ home ground. The arena first opened in 1998 and is known for having some of the best facilities of any of the league’s stadiums.
The Ravens’ biggest rivalry is with the Pittsburgh Steelers, based five hours away. Another major rival has been the New England Patriots, the two teams have had many high-profile battles, particularly when it comes to the post-season.
Betting on the Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are one of those teams that are always exciting to watch. Always priding themselves on having a strong defence, they are now acknowledged to have one of the most dynamic defences in the game. You are always in for a treat when watching these games and that can be further enhanced by placing a bet.
To see the leading betting sites, have a look at the options on Roger.com. These have been reviewed by a team of experts, helping you deal only with the best platforms.
